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The sky was dark and grey, and the wind, biting. Carson struggled through the doors of the school, scowling at the gaudy red and pink decorations haphazardly hung around the lockers.
As she walked through the quiet halls to her office, the only sounds were the other teachers prepping their classrooms and the occasional murmured conversation over coffee before the chaos of the day began. She didn’t want to be here this early. Hell, she didn’t want to be here at all today. She should be at home with her arms around Greta, swapping lazy kisses and snuggling until Chelsea woke up.
Fuck teenagers and their stupid hormones and FUCK Valentine’s Day!!
Valentine’s Day was always one of the worst days; there was something about it in the high school setting that made Carson think of full moons— teens at their most ridiculous. Carson had never cared much for Valentine’s Day. A lifetime of lukewarm relationships and being around hormone-addled 16 year olds would do that to anyone.
But this year, Carson had been looking forward to the day. It was her first with Greta, and Greta was excited which meant Carson was too. She’d wanted a day to be silly and romantic, to be able to show Greta and Chelsea just how much she loved them.
That was until a few days ago; Carson had been on the subway to Greta’s when she’d received the text... Asking her not to come over.
G: hey babe, I’m so sorry but you probably shouldn’t come over tonight. Daycare called — Moo has hand, foot and mouth and she is just covered in blisters.
G: where the hell did they come from? She had none this morning
C: oh noooo! How’s she going? Poor little munchkin
G: she’s grizzly and uncomfortable and she’s running a fever. It could be a looooong week
G: I love you, I’ll miss you
Carson had, obviously, been mostly worried about Chelsea. But she’d have been lying if the thought of not seeing Greta for a week hadn’t made her unimaginably grumpy. Especially this week.
Why do kids get sick all the fucking time?!
Carson’s full day of teaching, covering other classes, was terrible on a day like Valentine’s but made even worse when all the kids are stuck inside due to the weather. She glared at her now-thrice warmed up coffee circling the microwave, as she tried to scoff her sandwich down in the five minutes between lunch duty and the next period.
“Fucking teenagers,” Lupe grumbled, reaching past Carson for their own coffee. “I just caught Beau and Jordan making out outside the staff room. And when I told them to move Jordan was all, 'but he’s just asked me to be his Valentine'.”
Carson laughed; it was Lupe’s general grumpiness that Carson had loved from the minute they’d met. She stopped, looking over her friend more closely.
“García, why do you have your good shirt on on Valentine’s Day?”
“How’s Chelsea?”
“Lupe…!”
“Um, Jess and I are going out for dinner tonight.”
“Tonight?! Why would you go out on Valent— oh,” Carson trailed off.
Lupe at least had the good sense to blush as they glanced across the staff room to where Jess and Esti were arguing over the baseball team roster. Jess looked up at that moment, catching Lupe’s eye and giving the crooked smile that Carson knew drove her friend wild. Carson could feel herself getting grumpy. She knew it was irrational but, fuck, even Jess and Lupe finally doing something about the fact they liked each other and going on an official date on today of all days, diddn’t make her inability to see Greta any easier.
“That’s great Lu. Super excited about it,” she mumbled, walking away and pulling out her phone for the umpteenth time that day.
Still nothing.
She understood Greta was busy, trying to juggle caring for a sick child and working from home to meet her work deadlines. But the lack of notifications pulled at Carson's heart.
This is ridiculous, it’s just a stupid day, Carson. Get a grip!
Carson took a deep breath stepping into the hall, the noise of the last few moments of lunch period overwhelming as she walked back to her classroom while sending Greta a quick text on the way.
Carson gave up in the last period of the day— she didn’t want to be here as much as the kids didn’t.
“I don’t care what you read, just read something. Anything!” she cried.
“Will there be a quiz, Ms?” one of the more conscientious students asked.
Carson looked at the class, seeing their interest finally piqued at the unusual behavior from their teacher. She sighed.
“Just a half page on what you think would make it better—due next Friday.” Carson knew she was just adding to her own marking, but that felt like a problem for future Carson. Future Carson, who could mark the papers on Greta’s kitchen table, with Chelsea coloring at the other end.
Ah fuck it, she thought, typing out a quick Teams message to Lupe on her laptop. The answering ping came just as the final bell for the day rang. Carson thumbs-upped the message, and left the classroom. It had been a long day.
Climbing the stairs to the apartment, Carson started doubting herself. Was this the smartest thing to do? She shook her head at herself. There were a lot of teachers who were parents; this was not a unique situation.
As she opened the door, she could hear the TV going, but no other sounds. Creeping in, she saw Greta asleep on the sofa with Chelsea sprawled over her, sleeping the way only kids can. Turning off the TV, she kissed them both on the forehead and cuddled up with them.
“Carse, what are you doing here?” Greta asked groggily, stretching carefully so as not to wake Chelsea.
“I’ve missed you.”
“But Chelsea’s super contagious!”
“I know, but it’s been a few days and you said it yourself: her blisters are almost healed. And there’s heaps of teachers that are parents. It’s Valentine’s and I have pizza, and there are presents for you and Chelsea that I’ve been dying to give both of you in the kitchen.”
“Move in with us?”
Carson stopped still, not daring to move, in case it broke the spell.
“This week has been the worst, we’ve both missed you something terrible, and I know your lease is up soon.”
“Are you sure?” Carson asked. She had to know this was real.
“I’ve been thinking of it for awhile now,” Greta whispered shyly.
Carson couldn’t help the smile that spread over her face as she leaned over to kiss Greta.
“Best Valentine’s ever.”